Pueblo Grande Museum

There is something fascinating about the Pueblo Grande ruins. The buildings and ball courts were built over a thousand years. They are still standing quietly, surrounded by the freeways and skyscrapers of Phoenix.

The ruins, interpretive signs, and replicas bring this ancient Hohokam archeological site to life and offer a glimpse into the lives of the people who lived here before there was a Phoenix, an Arizona, or even an United States of America.

Inside of the museum, three galleries contain artifacts and information about the Indian tribes who lived in this area. After browsing the galleries, you proceed outside to view the actual ruins of Pueblo Grande and replicas of some of the ancient structures. The museum provides these handy umbrellas to protect you from the sun or rain!

Outside, the trail takes you past the canal and onto the mound that contains the ruins of a large building of Pueblo Grande. You can see the outlines of the various rooms and there are signs explaining how these rooms were probably used.

The path continues to a replica of a Hohokam village and the well-preserved ruins of the ball court. You can go into some of the mud huts and see what they looked like inside and how they where furnished. There is also a small garden.

We were in the museum for about half an hour and outside exploring the ruins for about an hour. We think the most interesting things to see are outside, plus we really liked the umbrellas! They made our visit on a sunny day a bit cooler and shadier.

Try grinding corn and mesquite beans!

The museum is open seven days a week from October to April and closed on Sundays and Mondays during the summer months. Tickets are $5 per person. If you have a Phoenix or Scottsdale library card, you can check out two culture pass tickets for free!